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Celestial Events
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- Mercury is currently too close to the sun and is not visible. The tiny planet passes behind the sun (superior conjunction) on May 27.
- Venus is the brilliant Evening Star, easily seen above the western horizon right after sunset. The gap between the planet and the sun is diminishing day by day: Venus now stands about 15 degrees high at sundown, and appears lower each evening. Venus remains visible for about two hours after sunset. The thin crescent moon will be near Venus on the evening of May 22. The planet is en-route for its historical crossing in front of the sun (“transit”) on June 5.
- Mars appears at dusk above the southwest horizon, and sets in the west around 2 a.m. The Red Planet is still fading and is now only about as bright as some of the brightest stars. The first quarter moon passes below Mars on the evening of May 28.
- Jupiter passed behind the sun (conjunction) on May 13 and is not currently visible. The giant planet will reappear in the dawn sky in June.
- Saturn appears above the south-southeast horizon at dusk, culminates in the south around 10 p.m., and sets in the west-southwest at the crack of dawn. The ringed planet is currently near bright star Spica, in the constellation Virgo: the waxing gibbous moon joins this celestial pair on the night of May 31 to June 1.
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Current and Upcoming Events
Past Astronomical Events
- The August "Mars Hoax" is back for another round! (2011)
- The Perseids, August 2011: see our special report.
- Partial Solar Eclipse, June 1, 2011: see our special report.
- Total Lunar Eclipse, December 21, 2010: see The Pocket Planetarium (476K PDF document) and the Monthly Sky for December 2010.
- Don't fall for the August "Mars Hoax"! (2010)
- The Perseids, August 2010: see our special report
- The Perseids, August 2009: see our special report.
- The August "Mars Hoax" Returns! (2009)
- The August "Mars Hoax" Strikes Again! (2008)
- The Perseids, August 2008: see our special report.
- Total Lunar Eclipse, February 20, 2008: see The Pocket Planetarium (570K PDF document)
- Comet Holmes in outburst: see our special report.
- Beware! The August "Mars Hoax" is Back!
- The Perseids, August 2007: see our special report.
- Total Lunar Eclipse, March 3, 2007: see The Pocket Planetarium (501K PDF document)
- Transit of Mercury, November 8, 2006: see our special report.
- Mars "as large as the full moon:" Beware of the hoax!
- The Perseids, August 2006: see our special report.
- Moon occults the Pleiades, early evening, April 1st: see The Pocket Planetarium (503K PDF document)
- The Perseids, August 2005: see our special report.
- See Comet Machholz in the Evening Sky:
- Geminid meteor shower peaks Monday evening December 13: see article on Science@NASA
- Moon occults Jupiter, early morning, December 7: see The Pocket Planetarium (558K PDF document)
- Venus and Jupiter meet in the morning sky, November 5: see The Pocket Planetarium (558K PDF document)
- Total Lunar Eclipse, October 27-28, 2004: see The Pocket Planetarium (558K PDF document)
- The Perseids, August 2004: see The Pocket Planetarium (529K PDF document)
- Transit of Venus, June 8, 2004: see our special report or The Pocket Planetarium (576K PDF document)
- Total Lunar Eclipse, November 8, 2003: see The Pocket Planetarium (410K PDF document)
- The Perseids, August 2003: see The Pocket Planetarium (505K PDF document)
- Mars at Opposition, August 28, 2003: see The Pocket Planetarium (505K PDF document)
- Total Lunar Eclipse, May 15, 2003: see The Pocket Planetarium (451K PDF document)
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